Sheet-music holder and turner.



No. 678,327. Patented July 9, l90l. J. A. ASHBY.

SHEET MUSIC HOLDER AND TURNER.

(Application filed Feb. 15, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Shea! I.

(No Model 3 OOOO No. 678,327 Patented luly 9, l90l.

J. A. ASHBY.

SHEET MUSIC HOLDER AND TURNER.

(Application filed Feb. 15', 1-901.

2 Shaets$heet 2.

(No Model.)

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2 F a 3 z 1 Unrrs Three PATENT JOHN A. ASHBY, or BLUEASH, or11o,Ass1eNoR TO HIMSELF, AND JAMES A. ASHBY, or BELLEVUE, KENTUCKY.

SHEET-MUSIC HOLDER AND TURNER.

$PECIFIGA'IION forming part of Letters Patent No. 678,327, dated July 9, 1901. Application filed February 15, 1901. Serial No. 47,524. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. ASHBY, a citizen of theUnited States of America, and a resident of Blueash, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sheet-Music Holders and Turners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in music-leaf tumors, and has for its object to provide a device of this character of a simple and inexpensive nature and of a compact and durable construction, so that the device is not liable to become deranged or broken when in use, and having improved actuating means by means of which the leaves or sheets of music may be readily and conveniently turned by the performer without requiring the use of the hands or directing attention away from the playing.

The invention consists in certain novel features of the construction, combination, and arrangement of the several parts of the improved leaf-turner whereby certain important advantagesare attained and the device is made simpler, cheaper, and otherwise better adapted and more convenient for use, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which serve to illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a view drawn to a small scale and showing a musicleaf turner embodying my improvements and applied for use to a piano. Fig. 2 is an enlarged front view showing the rack portion of the improved leaf-turner. Fig. 3 is an en larged partial plan View showing the rack portion and connected parts of the device; Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the rack portion of the device. Fig. 5 is a vertical section drawn to a reduced scale and taken through the instrument in the plane indicated by the line a a in Fig. 3, the improved leaf-turner being shown in position in the instrumentin side elevation. Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional View taken transversely through the rack portion of the device in the plane indicated by the line b b in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view showing the forked upper end of the pedal-rod and the sheave or pulley carried thereon.

In the views, 1 indicates as a whole the in strument to which the improved leaf-turner is applied for use, and 2 indicates the body portion or main frame of the musicrack, said body portion being of general rectangular form and being held in suitable position upon the upper part of the instrument by means of screws 3 or other desirable devices. On its front face the body portion 2 is provided with sheet holders or rests 4: at its opposite sides, said sheet holders being formed of metal strips or wires held at their lower ends to the frame 2 and having their free ends bent upwardly and separated from the front face of the frame 2 sufficiently to permit a sheet or sheets of music to he slid behind them.

The frame 2 has at its upper central portion a bracket 5 with forwardly-projected perforated arms spaced apart, and below said bracket 5 and at the lower part of the main frame is secured another bracket 6, havinga single forwardly-extended arm 7, which has a perforation alined with those of the arms of the upper bracket 5. Through the perforations of the arms of brackets 5 and 6 is passed a pivot pin or bolt 8, on which is held in pivotal relation to the bracket-arms one or more swinging frames 9. Where two such swinging frames are provided, as herein shown, they are connected together by a rulejoint, as shown at 10, and are adapted when swung pivot-ally to lie closely upon and parallel to the main frame 2, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, or flush upon each other, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to enable the music-sheets held on said swinging frames to be conveniently read by the performer.

The swinging frames 9 are open at their central portions, so as to permit the performer to read from one side of either frame the music upon the back of a sheet secured to the other side of that frame, and to brace and strengthen each frame adjacent to its pivotpoint a cross-brace 1i is provided, extended from top to bottom of the frame. The crossbraces 11 of the frames also assist in holding in position the music-sheet held upon the swinging frames, at the open central portions thereof. To hold the music-sheet to each swinging frame, a spring-clip 12 is provided at the outer edge of each such frame, adapted for engagement with the edge portion of the music-sheet to hold it in position on the rack, as shown at a: in Fig. 1.

To support the lower edges of the musicsheets or of an open music-book held on the rack portion of the device, I provide rests 13, one on each side of the main frame 2, said rests being long enough to protrude through openings in the swinging frames 9 in position to support and position the sheet or sheets or an open music-book held on said frames 9. Steps 14, preferably formed of rubber or other elastic material, are secured to the main frame 2, at opposite sides of the upper part thereof, and extend out from the front face of said main frame and are adapted for frictional engagement with the edges of the frames 9 in such a way as to elastically press upon the edges of the swinging frames and hold them, when swung into position, from swinging back or rebounding out of position.

The swinging frames 9 are operated or swung pivotally by means of pedals 16, there being two such pedals provided for each swinging frame, one pedal being so connected with its respective frame 9 that when such pedal is depressed the frame is moved in one direction, and another pedal being so connected wit-l1 the same frame that when it is depressed the frame is moved in an opposite direction.

Each pedal or pedal-lever 16 is pivoted, as shown at 1.7 in Fig. 5, and is guided on a pin 18, whereon is coiled a spring 19, engaged under and serving to raise the pedal when pressure thereon is relaxed. Each pedal or pedallever 16 is also connected with the lower end of a pedal-rod 20, which extends up inside the instrument and has its upper end forked, as shown at 21 in Figs. 3, 5, and 7, a loose pulley or sheave 22 being held between its forks. For actuating the swinging frames 9 from the movement of the pedal levers 16 cords or other flexible connections are provided,which flexible connections are secured to the swinging frames and are adapted to be drawn upon when the pedal levers are depressed and swing the frames 9 in opposite direct-ions.

For connecting the right-hand frame 9 as the parts are seen in Figs. 1, 3, and 6 with its pedals 16 a single cord or connection is provided, said cord or connection having its central portion secured to such frame 9 by knotting it upon a pin 23, which extends across an opening 25 in said frame. From said pin 23" one end of the cord or connection is extended, as shown at 23, back through an opening 26 in the main frame 2 and upwardly in an inclined direction over a roller or pulley 28, secured on the rear face of the frame 2 adjacent to the opening 26. From the roller 28 the connection 23 extends, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, up over an inclined pulley or sheave 29, mounted in a bracket 30,

secured at the upper part of the instrument, and then overa second sheave or pulley 31. Thence the connection is carried under the sheave or pulley 22 at the upper end of the corresponding pedal-rod 20, and behind said sheave or pulley 22 the extremity of the cord or connection 23 is secured to a fixed part of the instrument by means of a clamp of suitable construction. As herein shown, such clamp is formed of a bottom plate 33, having a grooved upper surface, and a top plate or jaw 35, pivoted as shown at 34: on plate 33 and provided with a serrated under surface to press the cord or connection into the grooves of the bottom plate to permit of securelyholdingitagainst endwise movement. For pressing the jaw 35 upon the bottom plate a screw 36 is provided, and the bottom plate has pins 237 projected up from it for engagement in openings 38 in the jaw to limit the movement of the cord or connection between the two plates. The otherend 23 of the same cord or connection is extended from the pin 23" across the front face of the bracketarm 7, which is grooved or recessed, as shown at 7, to receive and retain said cord, and projects from the front face of the frame, so as to give a lead to permit the frame to be drawn from its straight position when the cord is drawn upon. From the arm 7 the end 23 is extended back through an opening 26 in the left-hand side of the main frame 2 and is thence passed upwardlyin an inclined direction over a roller or pulley 28 on the rear face of the frame 2 adjacent to said opening 26. Thence the end 23 is carried upward over an inclined pulley or sheave similar to the sheave 29 shown in Fig. 5 and thence over a pulley 31 and under the pulley or sheave 22 on the upper end of the corresponding pedalrod, the extremity of the connection being secured by means of a clamp similar to the one above described.

The frame 9 at the left-hand side of the device as the parts are shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 6 is operated from its pedal levers 16 by means of a cord or connection also held at its central part to the frame by being knotted at a pin 2%" in an opening 25 in said frame, one end 24 of the cord being extended back through the opening 26 and thence up in an inclined direction over a roller or pulley 28, whence the cord is carried up over a pulley set in an inclined direction and over another pulley, these being similar to pulleys 29 and 31 above referred to, but not being shown herein. From these pulleys the cord is ex tended backward under the sheave or pulley 22 at the upper end of the pedal-rod corresponding to that cord and has its extremity secured by a clamp similar to the clamps for securing the ends of the cord for the other swinging frame. The other end of the cord for the same frame 9 is carried across the grooved bracket-arm 7 and back through the opening 26 at the right-hand side of the main frame 2 and is thence extended up over a pulley or roller 28 in an inclined direction to and over pulleys similar to the pulleys 29 and 31 above referred to and is carried under the pulley or sheave 22 at the upper end of the corresponding pedal-rod and secured at its extremity by means of a clamp.

The openings 26 and 26* are provided with pins 27 and 27, on opposite sides of which the two cords which traverse each opening pass, and to hold the cords, when slacked, against slipping off the sheaves or pulleys 3i I provide a strip 32, secured by means of screws or the like to the frame of the instrument, as seen in Figs. and 5, and extended across the tops of said pulleys or sheaves. As seen in Fig. 3, the pulleys or sheaves 31 at the lefthand side of the leaf-turner are hidden by said strip.

In operation when it is desired to use the device the leaves or sheets of music are first secured to the rack, the first and last sheets being laid on the main frame 2 under the rests 4. When there are four sheets, the other two sheets are laid on the swinging frames 9, being passed under the pivot pin or rod 8 at the center of the rack and being secured at their opposite edges by the spring-clips 12. Where there are but three sheets, one edge of the second sheet is passed under the pivotrod 8, the outer edge of the sheet being secured by means of one of the spring-clips 12. Then the music-sheets are in place on the rack and it is desired to play from the first sheet, the proper pedal at the left-hand side of the instrument is depressed, so as to swing both the frames 9 over on the right-hand side of the main frame 2, as shown in Fig. 2,1eaving the first sheet and the back of the second sheet in view to be played. The proper pedal at the left-hand side of the instrument is then depressed, so as to swing the left-hand frame 9 back on the frame 2, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, so that the music on the front side of the sheet 00 may be-played, and afterward the proper pedal at the right-hand side of the in- .strument is pressed, so as to fold the righthand frame 9 over on the left-hand side of the main frame 2 and permit the music then exposed to be played. One or both frames 9 may then be swung to the right to permit a part of the music to be repeated or the whole to be replayed.

From the above description it will be seen that the improved leaf-turner is of a very simple and inexpensive nature and is especially well adapted for use,since the swinging frames being actuated from pedal-levers are capable of ready and convenient operation by the performer without requiring the use of the hands or directing attention materially away from the playing. The devices carried by the main frame and swinging frames for holding the musicsheets are also of such a nature as to securely hold the sheets to said frames and maintain them in a proper flat condition, so that the music thereon may be easily read. The improved leaf-turner is also especially well adapted for use on pianos, organs, and other similar instruments, as its parts interfere in no way either by their construction or their operation with the parts of the instrumeut.

It will also be obvious from the above description that the improved leaf-turner constructed according to my invention is capable ofsome modification without material departure from the principles and spirit of the invention, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise form and arrangement of the several parts of the device as herein set forth. For example, when desired there may be but one or any other number of the swinging frames 9 employed in the device.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A leaf-turner comprising a main frame, a swinging frame in pivotal relation thereto, two pedal-levers, an arm on the main frame in line with the pivot-point of the swinging frame and formed with an opening in its forward part and flexible connections between the pedal levers and the swinging frame and arranged to pass in opposite directions through the opening in the forward part of said arm on the main frame, substantially as set forth.

2. A leaf-turner comprising a main frame, a swinging frame in pivotal relation thereto, pedal-levers, rods connected to the pedal-levers and provided with pulleys, connections extended in opposite directions from the swinging frame and under the pulleys of the respective rods and clamps for securing the ends of said connections, substantially as set forth.

3. A leaf-turner comprising a main frame having bracket-arms one of which is grooved in its forward part, swinging frames, a pivotrod for holding the swinging frames to the bracket-arms, pedal-levers, rods extended up from said levers and carrying pulleys, two sheaves in front of each of said pulleys, one of the sheaves being inclined, inclined rollers on the main frame, cords each secured at its central part to one of the swinging frames and having its end portions arranged to pass in opposite directions over the grooved forward part of the bracket-arm on the main frame and over the pulley at said frame and also over the sheaves in front of one of the pedal-rods, and under the pulley on said rod, and clamps for holding the extremities of said cords, substantially as set forth.

4:. A leaf-turner comprising a main frame, a swinging frame in pivotal relation thereto,

a flexible part fixedly held at one end and having connection with the swinging frame, a pedal-lever and a rod connected with the pedal lever and having loose engagement with the flexible part intermediate its connection with the swinging frame and its fixed end and arranged to flex the same and operate the swinging frame when the pedal-lever is operated, substantially as set forth.

5. A leaf-turner comprising a main frame, a swinging frame in pivotal relation thereto, a flexible part having connection with the swinging frame, means for adjustably holding the flexible part at one point in its length, a pedal-lever and a rod connected with the pedal-lever and having engagement with the flexible part and arranged to ilGX the same and operate the swinging frame when the pedal-lever is actuated, substantially as set forth.

6. A leaf-turner comprising a main frame, a swinging frame in pivotal relation thereto, a 'I'lexibie connection having attachment to the swinging frame and the main frame, a pedal-lever, a rod connected to the pedal-1ever and a pulley carried by said rod and having engagement with the flexible connection and arranged to flex the same and operate the swinging frame when the pedal-1ever is actuated, substantially as set forth.

7. A leaf-turner comprising a main frame, a swinging frame in pivotal relation thereto and provided with a pin, a flexible connection having its central portion knotted about said pin and having its end portions extended in opposite directions and provided with securing means, and means to flex the end portions of said connection to actuate said swing ing frame, substantially as set forth.

Signed at Cincinnati, Ohio, this 2d day of February, 1901.

JOHN A. ASHBY. lVitnesses:

JOHN EDWARD Jonas, .TonN ELIAS JoNEs. 

